Intel may fund Kris Gopalakrishnan-backed brain research programme

The research programme set up by Infosys cofounder Kris Gopalakrishnan is accelerating ahead in the lab-to-reality trajectory by roping in corporations.Bharani Vaitheesvaran&Shilpa Elizabeth | ET Bureau | January 12, 2016, 13:57 IST

The research programme set up by Infosys cofounder Kris Gopalakrishnan is accelerating ahead in the lab-to-reality trajectory by rop ing in corporations.CHENNAI: A research programme into the human brain to advance computing, set up by Infosys cofounder S `Kris Gopalakrishnan, is accelerating ahead in the lab-to-reality trajectory by rop ing in corporations that can find applications and further research.

The initial feelers have gone out, con firms Gopalakrishnan, an IIT-Madras alumnus who occupied top positions at the software exporter before turning focus on encouraging startups and funding research. “I believe corpo rates would be interested in funding this venture. Now that this centre is op erational, I hope there will be funding from some corporates not just in India but outside India. We are talking to some,“ said Gopalakrishnan.

Sources aware of the developments say talks with chipmaker Intel are on going. The US-based company has on going research with Israeli universities in the field of brain-inspired computing. An Intel spokesperson told ET the company has “no information“ to share now.

The workshop conducted at IIT-Madras last week saw representatives from Ivy League universities such as Yale and Columbia University in attendance, potential suitors for partnerships. They included Gopichand Katragadda, Group Chief Technology Officer of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group of companies including software exporter TCS.

The research already has a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, US. Gopalakrishnan said there has been tremendous interest from academia and student circles in the project, a progress he considers useful to push it forward in terms of actual research and necessary funding.Now, scientists are priming for corporate investors for the project. “... when I look at all the things that have happened, we have been able to fill the chairs, we have been able to create a group around it, we have been able to get faculties and students interested, we have been able to get students interested... So we are making progress.“

IIT-M has announced institutionalising this research by including neuroscience for engineering students, said Gopalakrishnan, who also serves on the board of governors of the institute.Just over a year old, the brain research programme has set up three chairs with funds of ` . 10 crore each at IIT-M and will be headed by top scientists.